Improvement in gate-hinges



Q gg g d wat @tutti :mueven/:ENT 1N @Are-mens.

To all w/Lomt't 'may concern Beit known that I, JERQME B. FARMER, ofIndianapolis, inthe county of Marionand State of Indiana, have inventedanew and useful Improvement in Hinges; and'I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full and vexact description of the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings as a part of this specication, and tothe letters of reference marked thereon, like letters always'reieiringto like parts.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction of hinges ofvariable leverage, (reckoning from the rivet uniting the pair to the-place of contact with the door or gate,) wherein the top hinge issimilar to ordinary hinges, excepting the rivet-bearing, while thebottom hinge is made t'o project considerably further from the gate andpost to the rivet, and both upper and lower hinge are provided with anhour-glass bearing for the rivets, and by this peculiar constructionthey have the effect on a gate or door, to'raise the same as it swingsopen, and at the same time keep theftop thereof leaning toward thelatch-post. In other words, with this hinge on a gate, the gate willalways close itself by its centre of gravity remaining on the side nextthe latchpost.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and. use my invention, Iwill now proceed to describe the same. Figure 1 is a perspective topview of both hinges.

Figure 2 exhibits the lowerrhinge in section and partly in detail.

Figure 3 shows miniature hinges on a gate.

A is the post hali` of the upper hinge, and its construction is verymuch like the same half of any other hingein common use.

B is the gate half= of the upper hinge, the distinguishing feature ofwhich consists in the peculiar shape of the rivet-bore, or bearing,

G is the post-half of the lower or bottom hinge. The base of this pieceis similar4 in shape to the base of the'other pieces, but it differsfrom others in having projecting ears cast on its face, and extendingabout two inches therefrom. In the outer ends of these ears small holesare drilled to receive the rivet which holds the two halves of the hingetogether.

These ears are strengthened andtied together in their base-half by atapering web, E, fig. 2, cast between them.

, The dotted parallel lines J show the position for the rivet in eachpiece of the lower hinge.' (See Iig. 2.)

D is the long gatef-halfof lower hinge. Its base is similar to theothers, but the elongated neck oiv the hinge-end is peculiar to thispiece only, and distinguishes it fromv any other hinge. This neckmay bemade three inches long, (more or 1ess,) and is cast atv an angle ofabout forty-live degrees from the base.V

This lower hinge constitutes theleading feature of my invention.

vvBy making the ears of O two inches long and the neck of D acorresponding length, the rivet J is placed at such a distance from thegate, and so much further than the rivet of the upper hinge, that thegate opens on a tilt or wind, (always leaning shut,) the centre ofgravity remaining on 'the latch-side until the gate is swung entirelyopen.l When it is entirely open, i. e.,

back againstl the fence, the centre of gravity changes to the hinge-side'so much thatftheA gate will remain open of its' own accord.

Fig. 3 represents the position of a gate, partly open, `swung by thesehinges. It is raised up and over sma obstacles 'in the act of opening. y

c', in g. 2, is the centre bearing of the rivet journalbox, or opening.

By observing the divided rivet-end of D in this figure, it -will be seenthat the bearing7 for the rivet :is almost exactly the shape of anhour-glass, small in the middle and large at the edges.

Both hinges (the .upper'one as well the lower) have this same bearingfor the rivet, and this shape gives free swing to the gate when it isthrown out of perpendicular, while the rivet is always held snug andfree 4from play in the middle by the isthmus fi.

I am aware of the existence of the forked-bottom hinge, made ofwrought-iron, having two legs, each leg terminating with a half-circlefork, (or saddle,) and these resting on staples for a base. forms asimilar function to my hinge, but, unlike mine, it` will not permit thegateA to swing beyond a right angle to the position it occupies whenshut, iwhile mine allows it to swing ninety degrees.

My hinge can be made of wrought-iron, though I prefer 4cast-iron orbrass. entire security against breechy animals and careless children, asthe gate cannot be opened bythe former, nor left open by the latter.

I do not `claim as original with me the idea of so hanging a gate ordoor as to incline it to swing shut by its own gravity; but

What I claim, is-

The combination of elongated necks in the lower hinge of a pair, with anhour-glass bearing for the rivets of both upper and lower hinge, all asset forth, and for the purposes described. d

Witnesses: JEROME B. FARMER.

JACOB ELDRIDGE, Guo. W. BRUCE.

This hinge per- Whenon a gate., it gives y

